Thread: Top 10 Most Annoying NHL Play-By-Play Announcers

When the greatest sports teams on the planet play each other, there has to be exposure. When I say exposure, I mean that the greatest news teams around the world are covering this one event of epic servings. When said event finally takes place, the game must be televised with the best broadcast teams possible covering that immaculate event.

However, sometimes things don’t go as well as planned, and the broadcasters picked for this game aren’t the world’s best.

Ladies and Gents, I give you the Top 10 Most Annoying NHL Play-by-Play Announcers in the game today!

10. Paul Steigerwald

We’ll kick things off with the dullest person to ever call a hockey game. Some commentators will go home after a game with laryngitis. This is not the case with this FSN Pittsburgh staff member. Nope, he is more of an “I’ll save my voice for tomorrow” kind of guy. The thing is, he doesn’t use his voice tomorrow, or ever.

Here is a video of Paul Steigerwald in action:

Penguins @ Thrashers 11/21/09 - YouTube

9. Pierre Houde

Anyone who can understand French knows that Mr. Houde is very biased toward the Montreal Canadiens. A recent Canadiens game against the Nashville Predators gives me a good example.

A Predator player had a breakaway on Canadiens' goaltender Carey Price, but the player decided to shoot the puck too soon. The puck was shot right into Price. Even though the Preds’ forward visibly shot the puck at Carey Price, it didn’t stop our good friend, Pierre, from exclaiming, in French, “Oh! What a save by Price!!!”

Did he see that Price didn’t make the save?

Here is a video of Pierre Houde in action:

Hurricanes @ Canadiens 11/17/09 - YouTube

8. Mike Emrick

Since many people call him the greatest ever, I’ll probably get a lot of disagreement for putting Doc on this list. But, this is my opinion, and I think he's th eighth-worst around.

A few things contribute to me putting Doc here. A short list includes that he works for NBC—which I really hate—that he is pro-America in his national broadcasts—even though the NBC feed also goes to Canada—and his broadcasting style is annoying.

You don’t believe me? Here’s an example of a goal called by a regular commentator, “He shoots! He scores !” Here is a Doc Emrick call, “DRIIIIIIIVE...SKAAAAAAAAAAR!!!!!!”

That is pretty annoying.

Here is a video of Mike Emrick in action:

Senators@Ducks Game 5 - YouTube

7. Joe Bowen

Holy Macona! When will this guy retire? While I look at the daunting, squiggly red line under the Leafs’ broadcaster’s catchphrase, I will attempt to write a description of him…hmm…Sorry, I just can’t.

Here is a video of Joe Bowen in action:

Maple Leafs @ Rangers 10/12/09 - YouTube

6. John Ahlers

This man is the cockiest announcer in the game. He always sounds unbelievably shocked when the Anaheim Ducks get scored against.

Whenever Jonas Hiller makes a nice save, he sounds like he was expecting it the entire game. When the Ducks’ score, he is basically shouting, “You suck, we just scored against you, again ”.

Another thing he does is focus on the positive for the Ducks, and the negative for the team that they’re playing against. Example: “Well, the Ducks are 15th in the west, but the Penguins' power play is only at 14 percent”. My eardrums rattle just writing about him.

Here is a video of John Ahlers in action:

Coyotes @ Ducks 11/7/09 - YouTube

5. Peter Loubardias

If you don’t recognize this unique name, it’s OK. Even I had to double check to make sure that I got the name right.

Peter Loubardias is the Jim Hughson of junior hockey. He calls all the big CHL games and the Memorial Cup for Rogers Sportsnet. He also occasionally calls Edmonton Oilers and Calgary Flames games.

I’m not going to lie, when I first heard his voice, I thought it was a joke. His voice is twice as unique as his name, and if that was a good thing, we wouldn’t be talking about him right now. To get where I’m coming from, take a look at his video.

Here is a video of Peter Loubardias in action:

Ottawa 67s Highlights - vs Toronto Feb 02 '07 - YouTube

4. Ken Daniels

This former CBC employee doesn’t know when to stop talking. He's just incredibly annoying, and he constantly cuts off his broadcasting partner, Mikey Redmond. He yells when he doesn’t have to, is too biased toward Detroit, and unintentionally impersonates Pierre McGuire.

Here is a video of Ken Daniels in action:

Red Wings @ Coyotes 10/22/09 - YouTube

3. Bob Cole

What isn’t there to say against Bob Cole. This aging CBC commentator misses calls, botches names, noticeably favours Toronto, and has the absolute furthest thing from a broadcasting voice.

Up until the lockout, he was acceptable, but the 2005-06 season brought problems to his broadcasting style, and he has never been the same.

One thing that ropes many people into agreeing that he is not good at all, is the overwhelming fake enthusiasm he brings into the game when two teams besides Toronto are playing.

He is also showing that his memory isn’t as good as it used to be.This is the way that Mr. Cole would call a game—one without the Maple Leafs taking part, anyway.

“Here comes the center, and it’s picked off byyy...the left winger on New York, back to the line to the defenseman…” and so on, and so forth.

He not only misses names, but he forgets them too. It is a lethal combo.

Here is a video of Bob Cole in action:

Edmonton vs. Carolina - Round #4, Game #7 2006 NHL Playoffs - YouTube

2. Dave Mishkin

Mr. Dave Mishkin, is the only radio commentator on this list. However, the reason he is here is a good one.

It’s hard to believe a human is making the deafening shriek that comes out of his mouth when his Tampa Bay Lightning score. Even though I have a tendency to over-exaggerate, that is not the case here.

Goals, saves, hits, the only way to describe him is irritating.

However, I will add that, no matter how much his calls irritate me, I have a huge amount of respect for him. The vocal capabilities that he expresses are amazing.

Since you’re probably dying to hear him, let‘s get to the video, shall we?

Here is a video of Dave Mishkin in action:

Dave Mishkin Scream Tribute Tampa Bay Lightning - YouTube

1. Rick Jeanneret

Out of every single annoying and bad commentator out there, this long time Buffalo Sabres commentator takes the cake for the absolute worst commentator in the NHL.

This could, quite possibly, be his last year as commentator, since he is getting older and his contract ends near the end of this season.

However, one thing that I enjoy about him is that he gets every call right, no matter what team Buffalo plays against and no matter how old he is. He is a good commentator, but the way that he explodes out of his seat when Ryan Miller makes a mediocre save and holding the word “score” for six or seven seconds when the Sabres score, is a very annoying way to call sports.

Here is a video of Rick Jeanneret in action:

Canadiens @ Sabres - 10/6/06 - YouTube



I hope you enjoyed this read, and if you disagree with my picks, or want to add your own, feel free to do so in the comment section.



*This article was originally a blog post by Michael, at the website Hockey Fan Zone Hockey Fan Zone - Hockey Message Board

Emrick is pretty annoying. His nasally voice (and how it cracks when he gets overly excited) and some of the lingo he uses just annoy the crap out of me.

Rick Jeanneret is terrific, and if you don't think so, you're a terrorist.

1. Mike Emrick.

I don't care about the rest of the clowns, as I don't really have to listen to them. With Emrick I don't have a choice. Not that he wouldn't have be tops for me regardless.

Take Emrick and Jeanneret off the list....I like Emrick...always have.

One of the WORST, believe it or not, was GM Dale Talon (commentator not PBP) when he was doing Hawk games in the early 90s. Easily the biggest homer in the NHL at the time. He's actually done well as a GM....fortunately for the listeners. Him and Pat somethingorother (former Hawk player) were just plain awful.

jom

.

No Edwards? If there's one thing that describes "so bad it's good", it's The Fifth Element. If there are two things that describe "so bad it's good", it's The Fifth Element and Jack Edwards.


And Rick Jeanneret sucks. Between his inability to control the pitch of his voice, the fact that he sounds like he's got a mouth full of cotton balls, and his generally stupid calls (SCOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOORRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR RRRRRRRRRRRES, OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOVERTIME), I would take anyone over him.



F***....I didn't even watch the videos until after I made this post and sure as s*** there's a SCOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOORRRRRRRRRREEEEEESSSSSSS within the first ten seconds. On a second period goal! He's terrible. This is indisputable scientific fact not even subject to opinion.



But yeah, you can add:
Bowen (HOLY MACINAW REIMER JUST MADE A ROUTINE SAVE BUT I HAVE TO FIT MY LAME CATCHPHRASE IN THERE SOMEWHERE)
Loubardias (uhhh-geeeen-la)
John Kelly (thank you, thank you)
Bob Cole (just retire already)
Steigerwald (is he even watching the same game?)
Beninati (terrible voice, "man power advantage" seriously?)
Forslund (same as Bowen except for "Cam Ward says no!")


to my list

Originally Posted by gescom

Rick Jeanneret is terrific, and if you don't think so, you're a terrorist.

I guess I'm a proud terrorist then. I absolutely cannot stand the Sabres broadcast. If the Kings are playing against the Sabres and I'm stuck with the Sabres feed... the game goes on mute immediately.

Originally Posted by sva50233

What isn’t there to say against Bob Cole. This aging CBC commentator misses calls, botches names, noticeably favours Toronto, and has the absolute furthest thing from a broadcasting voice.

Cole has been a classic hockey voice since he started. Seems like someone was trying too hard to pick an old man apart.

All of these opinions just tell me how lucky we've been with Miller. Yeah...I know he screws up from time to time mostly in the last 5 years or so. Big freaking deal. The guy was spot terrific especially pre-Prime Ticket (circa 1985 or so) when there was only 20 TV games. You HAD to listen on the radio. Bob Miller made that very easy.

jom